Street-sweeping machine.



R. A. RUTHERPURD. STREET SWEBPING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2, 190a.

atented Dec. 13,1910.

R. A. RUTHERFURD. STREET SWEEPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION nun) SEPT. 2, 1908.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910 2 SEBETSBEIIET 2.

, Wibmeoaea If; iTED STATES PATENT onrren ROBERT A. RUTHEBFURD. OE NEV YORK, N. Y.

STREET-SVJEEPING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 19.14;.

Application filed September 2. 1908. SerialNo. 451,327.

face to be cleaned. are arranged adjacent. to

each other, and consists in certain peculiari- .1 ties in the construction and arrangement of parts. and in certain novel combinations of elements substantially as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

I The principal object of the present invention is to provide simple. durable and effective means whereby both the month of the suctional means and the loosener referred to will be free to follow the inequalitics in the surface operated on. or will be. raised over the. obstructions on the surface being cleaned. and will move svnehronouslv in following such inequalities or obstructions. This and other objects which will 50 hereinafter appear are full snbservcd by the construction illustrated in the accompan ving drawings, which exemplify what is at present regarded to be the best form of the invention but to the details of which the invention is not in all respects limited.

In the drawings wherein like characters of reference designate the same parts in the several views: Figure t represents partly in side elevation and partly in section. a street sweeper comprising the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the same. Fig. is a detail front view of the means for loosening :the dirt from the surface to be cleaned and for causing said means to follow inequalities in. or to be raised over obstructions on said surface.

The part marked A on the drawing represents an appropriate wheeled frame which carries a driving engine B of suitable con- 5 strnetion and type. preferably a tw0-c vlinder gasolene engine. and the other working parts of the snwper. parts herein shown, comprise a blower a dirt receptacle l) and a centrifugal dustandatir separator l). all of which are driven hr the engine Ii, which also propels the i vehicle. by suitable connections therewith.

The parts referred to herein may he of any suitable c nistruction and arrangement.

From the casing of the blower C, pipes 1 lead downward and terminate in suctionnozzles l". the months 2 of which aresnitablv arranged to receive the dust and dirt, which drawn thereinto from the surface to be cleaned. bv the blower C, and passes from-the blower to the separator E where it freed from air and tinall is deposited in the receptacle 1). while the air is dischargcd directly into the atmosphere or otherwise disposed of. Each suction nozzle 1-. which may include the entire connection between the an casing and the suction month. but preferably is. as shown. connected to the blower casing by an intermediate pipe. is intended to have a free upand-down movement for which provision may be made by making the pipe of flexible material or providing it with a flexible section: or as herein shown and as preferred. a ball and socket joint 3 is provided between the pipe 1 and nozzle 1 o permit such movement. The nozzlel is broadened and tiattened. toward its free end or month 2 and is yieldahly pressed toward the pavement b a spring 4.

The dust loosener hereinbct'ore referred to. arranged in front of the suction nozzles and contiguous thereto. lt preferably is a broom G. as shown, cmnprising a head 5 and arms t). the forward ends of which arms are provided with elongated slots 7, by which the broom is pivotally mounted upon a suitable support. such as the shaft 8, which ex- Itlltl across the front of the sweeper. The shaft is supported by a bracket 9, or other suitable device. haviin arms 10, in the ends l of which .the shaft is inounted.

H designates a shoe, herein shown as formed of a plurality of spaced and bent fingers or prongs 11, the ends of which are suitably connected with the suction nozzles The other working I". and the, intermediate parts of which pass under or through the broom G, and occupy such relation to the surface to be cleaned as to be engaged and lifted by elevated portions thereof or obstructions thereon, thus correspondinglv elevating the suction nozzles and broom with both of which it is connected.-

pavement. In practice. the broom is preter tllJl 'v' made in a plurality of independently movablesections extending across the machine. A plurality ot suction nozzles I.

similarly. preferably are employed, each having its broadened mouth. extending the; full length of the broom section with which it acts. said nozzles having communication; through separate pipes 1, with the blower casing. as shown best in Fig. 2.

A suitable means for connecting the prongs ll with the broom consistsof a shaft 12 which extends through the openings 7 in 1 the arms 6 and is adapted to move with the 3 broom, so as not to interfere with the rising or falling movements thereof. The prongs i are loosel} pivoted on said shaft.

Suitable mains are provided for raising and lowering the broom G, manually, out of and into operative position. As herein shown, the means preferred comprise a pivoted operating lever 13 having an arm It at its lower end which has a link connection 15 with the broom G so as to not interfere with the automatic rising and falling movement l of the latter when the parts are in their operative position. I

The dust and loosened dirt are eonfined within the area of the suctional force exerted through the nozzle F, by means of a hood having elements arranged to inc-lose the ends of the brooms and the spaces between the nozzles and brooms 1nd below the nozzles said hood preferably comprising a flexible 5 top flap or flaps 16 which extend from the j nozzles to the brushes, preferably somewhat loosely shown, end flaps 17 and bottom or rear flaps 18.

It will be noted that each spring at presses the suction nozzle with which it is associated yieldingly toward the surface to be cleaned and, acting through said nozzle: lso tends to hold the shoe in operative relation with said surface. It will also be observed that. movement of the shoe is communicated to the suction nozzle to which it. is attached and also to the sweeping element, by exerting pressure on the shaft 12, or upon the 3 brush fibers. or both, as well as upon the lower end of the suction nozzle. same time the illustrated correlation of the Y parts is such that a slight range of relative movement between the suction nozzle and At. the 5 sweeping element is permitted, the flap or llaps It) having some degree of looseness between tbe HOZZlt? ttt d sweeping element and the connection of the shoe with the broom permitting some degree of play. of a llap 1(3 permitting this relative movemerit between the broom and nozzle is preferred but is not essential to the invention considered in its broader aspects, nor is it esscntial to the invention in its broad aspects that the shoe be coimected-both to a suction element and a sweeping element. If a flap capable of transmitting force from the suction nozzle to the broom be employed, the suction nozzle will press the 35 broom forward and pull it rearward, in its i rising and fallmg movements, 1Q'I)Ctl\'l}'.

the slots 7' permitting movementof the broom.

The operation and advantages of the ill-8b vention will be readily understood ithont further description, and it will be apparent j that many changes may be made in the construction herein illustrated and man apparentlj, widely diilcrent embodiments ofso the invention produced without. departing from the scope thereof, for which reason itis intended that all matter contained in the description or shown :n the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is to be understood that I do not re strict myself to the specific details shown and described herein. and various changes may be. made, therein without. departing from the spirit of my invention as claimed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a street sweeper, a pivotally mountied broom and a shoe connected therewith gan'd adapted to engage the surface to be cleaned and, when elevations or obstructions are reached, to automatically lift the broom correspondingly, said shoe comprising a pluii'ollow inequalities in the surface to be cleaned within defined limits and conneceed to move together beyond said limits, the

P connection including a shoe which is disposed in operative relation to said surface and is connected to the suction element and sweeping element.

In a street sweeper, a suction nozzle and a broom, in combination with a shoe disposed in operative relation with the surface to be cleaned and connected with said nozzle and broom, said shoe comprisingbc-nt ngers or prongs which extend from the suction nozzle to a place -in from of he broom fibers.

4. In a street sweeper, asuction nowzie i3- The use 7 suction nozzle to a place in front of the nected with the shaft and nozzle and is disstructions thereon to raise the sweeping cleand a broom, in combination with a shoe disposed in operative relation with the surface to be cleaned and connected with said nozzleand broom, said shoe comprising bent fingers or prongs which extend from the broom, and a spring which acts to press the shoe yieldably toward said surface.

In a street sweeper, a suction nozzle and a broom, said nozzle having a spring for pressing it toward the surface to be cleaned. and saidbroom having an arm provided with an elongated slot. a shaft extending into said slot, :1 shoe which is connected with the shaft and nozzle and is disposed in operative relation with the surface to be cleaned and is adapted to raise the nozzle and broom when inequalities in or obstruc tions on such surface are reached.

6. In a street sweeper, a suction nozzle and a broom, said nozzle having a spring for pr 'ng it toward the surfaceto be cleaned, and said broom having an arm provided with an elongated slotand a shaft extending into said slot, a shoe which is'conposed in operative relation with the surface to be cleaned and is adapted to raise the nozzle and broom when inequalities in or obstructions on such surface are reached, said shoe comprising bent fingers or prongs which extend from the suction nozzle to a place in front of the broom.

'4'. In a street sweeper, a broom composed ofa series of sections free to independently follow inequalities in the surface to be cleaned. a suction nozzle for each of said sections, frec'to follow-such inequalities, and a shoe connected with each suction nozzle and the corresponding broom-section and disposed in operative relation with the surl face to be cleaned and to raise said nozzle and section when elevations in or obstrucl tions on such surface are reached. l 8. in a street sweeper, a suction element i and a sweeping element severally free to; follow inequalities in the surface to be i cleaned withindefined limits and connected i to move together beyond said limits, thel connection including a means which is acted upon by irregularities in said surface or ob- 3 ment. and suction element.

9. In a street sweeper, a suction element and a sweeping element severally tree to follow inequalities in the surface to be cleaned within defined limits and connected to move together beyond said limits, the connection including a shoe which is disposed i in operative relation to said surface and is loosely connected to the sweeping element.

10. In a street sweeper, a pivoted suction element, a movable sweeping element, and ashoc having one end connected to the suction element. its other end connected to the sweeping element and its intermediate part disposed in operative relation to the surface to be cleaned.

11. In a street sweeper, a pivoted suction element. a movable sweeping element, a connection between said elements and a shoe having one end connected to the suction element. its other end connected to the sweeping element, and its intermediate part disposed in operative. relation to the surface to be cleaned.

12. In a street sweeper, a pivoted suction element, a movable sweeping element. havi lg an arm. a connection between said elements, and a shoe having one end connected to the suction element, and its other end connected to said arm by a shattand-slot'connection, said shoe having its part between its ends disposed in Operative relation with the surface to be cleaned.

13. In a street sweeper, a frame, a pivoted suction element and a movable sweeping element supported from the frame, the sweeping element having a slotted connection with the frame. and means for imparting movement to the suction element and sweeping element according to variations in or 0bstructions on the surface to be cleaned, said means including a. shoe which is disposed in operative relation to the. surface to be cleaned and has one end attached to the suc-- movementto the suction element and sweepelement according to variations in or obstructions on the surface to be cleaned,

said means including a shoe which is dis- 7 posed in operative relation to the surface to be cleaned and has one end attached to the suction element and its other end mount: ed in the slot in said arm of the sweeping element.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at the city, county and State of New York, this seventh day of August, 1908.

ROBERT A. RUTHERFURD.

In presence 0f- ISABEL RICHARDS, AGNES C. OCormnnn. 

